13 Malay Wedding Duties for Family Members

Those words could definitely lead you to eternal regret. Condemned of the feeling of lifetime disappointment. This is because for some, marriage only happen once in their lifetime.

From food catering to managing guest list. Preparing for a wedding prove to be a tedious task; it requires help from many people. Thus, I’m going to give you some insights on what family members can do for wedding preparations. Off you to read!

Decorating Wedding Gifts

Giving wedding gifts or ‘barang hantaran’ is a must in Malay wedding. Why pay for a decorating service when you can make your own? Plus, I bet you don’t want a rather plain wedding gifts or ‘barang hantaran’, right? Targeting the young females, this fun task will absolutely keep them busy and occupied! What kind of girl doesn’t love decorating right?

Nothing Beats DIY Door Gifts

Nowadays, it’s pretty common to give door gifts at weddings. They are usually given as a sign of appreciation to guests. Even so, door gifts are known to scream, “We’re expensive!”. Hence, instead of buying door gifts from a wedding shop, why not try to do-it-yourself. You can gather the supplies and make them with your relatives, especially your aunties and grandmas. On top of that, you can definitely chat around and spend a good time together while preparing for your wedding.

Making ‘Bunga Telur’

It is a custom in Malay wedding to give away bunga telur to the guests. For those who don’t know, bunga telur is a hard-boiled egg attached to a whittled bamboo stick and decorated with plastic flower and fancy paper. Though there are many forms of it, the former is the most common. You can work together with your family members and start making these bunga telur.

For the Musically Talented Ones

Have a Demi Lovato or Justin Bieber wannabe in the house? Why not ask them to jazz up your wedding day by performing. After all, a live music performance is better than hearing the ones from CD. Tell them that it’s time to let those talents out. Even Bieber itself performs outside to get discovered! Besides, who knows they will be scouted by one of your guests?

The Ferocious Fighter

“Haiyaa!”

Got some relatives who’s passionate about martial arts? From Silat Gayong to Taekwondo, you can surely get them to be involved in your wedding by performing martial arts. Who wouldn’t love to see a martial arts performance? But make sure to tone down the fights even if it is not real. You don’t want to scare the kids and elders, don’t you?

Snap, snap!

A picture is worth a thousand words. But wedding pictures taken by your family member? That’s worth ten times more! Besides, professional photographers cost a ton of money. Hence, it will be nice to find a budding photographer in your family. It will definitely polish their talents and provide them with a working experience to put on their resume.

Let’s Watch a Video!

If you know someone who’s good with video editing software, chances are they could whip you some memorable video. It would be nice you know, to have something worth showing to your future children. (Oops, I’m being too fast, aren’t I?) Twenty years from now, you could probably say this to them,

“Look, it’s me on my wedding day!”

Thanks to that certain someone who’s kicking ass in video editing, you get to reminisce those magical moments again.

Sparkling Dishes on the Go

Having a lot of guests mean that there will be a huge eating going on. Your guests will leave a huge pile of dirty dishes. This is especially for those who did not use catering and disposable plates. So, who’s going to wash those dirty dishes? This job is perfect for the ones with testosterones. Call as many male cousins and siblings that you have, for there will be much to handle. It’s time to clean the dishes!

Every Ceremony Needs Its Master

Your wedding could surely use a Master of Ceremonies or better known as MC to liven up the atmosphere. On top of that, the MC will someone close to you, so he definitely knows what you prefer and do not. If the guests are happy, so will you!

Managing Traffic & Parking Space

Argh, traffic congestion can surely disrupt a great wedding ceremony. It causes many people to arrive late at your wedding! It sure is a hassle. You can assign your family members preferably the males to play the role of a traffic police.

“But, where should the guests park their car?”

Oh, that’s one of the job of a traffic police. To guide the guests in parking their car. Other than that, make sure every parking space is being utilised efficiently. After all, being orderly and organized is an incredibly good manner as it can avoid you from troubling your neighbours.

Who to Invite?

Wow, what a nice-looking invitation cards! Now, what are you waiting for? It’s time to hand them out. But, working on your own may take days. Thank goodness you have family members to help. Get your list of guests with their corresponding addresses. It’s best to have someone with nice handwriting, as you have to write each guest addresses’ clearly. Then, have someone to mail those cards.

You Do Need a Receptionist!

“Did you heard about the story of her husband? It was so tragic, I bla bla…”

“And I heard from the market that…”

Sometimes, it helps to have few chatterbox in your circle. Whether it’s your nosy Aunt Siti or your cousin Diana, anyone that’s chatty and overly friendly will do. Now, they can unleash their talents to the max. They can welcome the guests warmly and thank them for coming from so far away. Their help could definitely make your guests feel elated and appreciated.

Flower Girl

Not sure about the task that the little lady could do? Worry not, for she can be your flower girl. Just dress in simple yet adorable white dress, this tiny bud can scatter rose petals along the bridal path. As such, your favourite little girl could definitely play a vital role in your wedding. Hopefully, she will remember it until the day she grows up to be a fine woman.